Abstract

In many postcolonial societies, the language of the former occupier typically enjoys overt prestige and dominance relative to local languages. Such linguistic power asymmetry may endure long after a country has gained its independence. This is troubling because speakers of dominant varieties enjoy socio-economic advantages over those who do not (Labov, 1966; Bernstein, 1971).

Vanuatu was jointly colonised by England and France until its independence in 1980. Since then, English and French persist as high status postcolonial languages in Vanuatu public institutions, both public and private. This paper examines the suitability of English usage in professional contexts, particularly as compared to Bislama, a widely spoken lingua franca that is native to Vanuatu. A key objective is to test whether well-educated ni-Vanuatu people understand spoken English as well as they understand spoken Bislama. The investigation is supported by opinion and comprehension test results which suggest that Vanuatu citizens have much more exposure to Bislama than to native varieties of English; they prefer Bislama to English, and feel more confident about understanding it; and they do indeed respond more accurately to Bislama test sentences, as compared to English test sentences. The paper discusses the implications of these results for professional contexts such as education, business, and particularly the legal system, where English continues to dominate. The paper concludes by suggesting modest but achievable strategies for giving Bislama greater prominence in professional domains.

Te Reo-Volume 68-Issue 3-pp. 20–60